071 — ENDER’S GAME (W/ CASEY OCCHIALINI)

Our holiday tradition rolls on as we encounter yet another massive science-fiction hit, as we, with help of shadow producer Casey Occhialini get all up on Orson Scott Card’s Hugo and Nebula winner Ender’s Game. Ender’s Game is about a young boy and a sociopath — but I repeat myself — who fears his brother, is in love with his sister, and enjoys provoking young boys into confronting him and then murdering them. Also he enjoys video games! Which turns out to be important and good, because playing video games is just like leading people into battle. Which he also does.

Anyway, we enjoy the fast fun and frantic action of this inexplicably well-regarded tale of children screaming fart-related insults at each other while occasionally pausing to wonder “Wait. What the hell is going on here?” and trying hard to avoid wading (too) deep into the world of Ender’s Game‘s politics. Anyway, change into your sleep uniform and join us in the Battle Room, where the answer to everything is to remember, because reasons, “The enemy’s goal … is down.” (Oh High Commander is this book ever dumb.)